Much ado about fantasy football: Weighing in on Pham/Pederson feud

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During the Memorial Day weekend, there was an altercation between Tommy Pham of the Cincinnati Reds and Joc Pederson of the San Francisco Giants in a fantasy football league. Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout is the commissioner of that league, and he was thrown under the bus by Pham.

What is Trout supposed to do with it?

Every commissioner I know gets booed.

What do veteran fantasy football players think of this story? We turned to our analysts at Disney to get their take on what is now the world's most famous dysfunctional fantasy football league.

As a fantasy football analyst, what has been your reaction to this story?

Mike Clay thinks that fantasy sports would not be possible without drama. We don't know the rules of the league, but Pederson did nothing wrong, and the league had its own amendments. I can't imagine moving one player to IR to pick someone up off waivers having a major impact on the league, so I am as surprised as Pederson that this popped up a half-year after the fact.

No one wants to be a part of a fantasy league. The heat coming down on Trout is the same thing we hear in our league. There are always complaints about it. Ask my cousin Michael, who has run our league for over a decade. We have to tell him something by Week 4.

Matthew Berry said that it was the greatest example of how leagues need clear rules. Trout did not do enough to make a clear ruling. Six months is a long time to get over a league you quit. What is the point of being in a fantasy league if you can't take some trash-talk?

What does it say about fantasy football that it started this huge story between professional athletes?

Fantasy is the great equal. Rock stars and politicians are just some of the people who play. Ball players reach the major league level because they have an incredible drive to succeed and beat out other competition. Pro athletes are very competitive in fantasy football. It can still lead to violence. You shouldn't play if you can't handle the frustration that comes from fantasy football.

Everyone loves fantasy football. I was in Charlotte for the Memorial Day weekend of NASCAR and talked with fans, crew members and drivers about their fantasy football leagues and the drama that comes along with it. It is a tough, but fun game that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

It goes deeper than just fantasy football. When I was with the Packers, we had some heated moments in the locker room over backgammon. That was the game to play before practice started. Things went south very quickly if you bent the rules.

What has happened in one of your leagues that has caused disagreement between team managers?

Stephania Bell has been fortunate to play in multiple leagues and all disputes have been resolved. It seems that if there is a dispute, it comes back to rules interpretation. When the rules are spelled out in black and white, they may be interpreted differently by different people. It serves as a reminder that everyone in a league should take the time to review the rules in advance to minimize after-the-fact disputes.

The biggest disputes in my home league have been the trades. Everyone values players differently, but if your perception is not aligned with others in the league that can cause problems. During the midway point of the season, a fantasy manager was checked out and began trading away his best players. The commissioner and others in the league were not happy with that.

Eric Karabell said that a situation involving injured reserve never caused a problem for him, but that we see a lot of odd trades that end friendship. It is a shame. It is difficult to prove colluding, so it is better not to try.

The league I used to play in had a unique scoring format. Really, made up stuff. There were plays that generated ridiculous points. Is it possible that he ripped off a 50-yard touchdown run against you? You are down 70 points. It was brutal. Some heated arguments were created about the scoring structure. I no longer play in that league. Give me simple scoring options.

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The fantasy football dispute between Joc Pederson and Tommy Pham was weighed in on by Mike Trout.

When team managers disagree, how should commissioners handle it?

Berry said quickly and firmly. We used to do a segment on the show where we would rule on certain types of situations. Get feedback from the league and make a ruling, that should be the end of it. It can be discussed in the off season. One league I'm in has a competition committee that people can appeal to if they don't like the ruling. If the dispute involves a member of the committee, there is an alternate for the committee. I have no issues with the system of the league.

A clear set of rules is the best way to deal with drama. Good for them if someone finds an edge that is not a rules violation. That is called gamesmanship. If you feel that it should be illegal, you should propose an amendment to the rules.

The most important role of the commissioner is to be fair and prompt with rulings. If you check in with both sides involved in the dispute, make a rational ruling and deliver it firmly, your leaguemates will respect you the most.

How do you handle it when a team manager tries to work around the rules?

People seek loopholes all the time. If the rule is not stated in the constitution, I make a fair judgement and we can address or amend it during the off-season. I recommend it if it is someone else in the chair. You are disqualified/out if it is a deliberate attempt to break the rules. I tell people who seek loopholes that the last thing they want is to read a 300-page constitution.

Bell said to play by the rules or not. It is no longer a level playing field when the minute exceptions are made, especially those initiated by some sneakiness on the part of the team manager. There may be unique circumstances that warrant sympathy and rules modification, but those are likely to be very rare.

Being transparent is important. The commissioner should explain to the league why certain rules exist and how they fit into the structure of the league. Don't wait until there are issues. It is best for a commissioner to be proactive if it can be anticipated.

The rulebook should be updated to close loopholes. There are lots of other leagues to join if a league gets out of control. It is not worth it if I do not enjoy a league. Unless Mike Trout is running. I would stay in forever.

Parting thought ...

There are too many things to worry about, and fantasy football should not be one of them. Enjoy it. That is what it is for.